The Pawn Shop Symbol

Updated July 24, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

The Question:

What do the three balls on a pawn shop signify?

The Answer:

Pawnbrokers often joke that the three balls represent the motto "Two to one, you won't get your stuff back." In actuality, the three gold balls are said to be a symbol of the Medicis, a family of powerful merchants in Florence, Italy, during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. You can learn more about the Medicis in our online encyclopedia.

-The Editors

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